Last Updated: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 13:57
Celtic have opened a bidding battle with Everton for Sochaux's £4million-rated Sengalese central midfield star Guiranne N'Daw.
Reports from France claim the Glasgow giants have had an initial £2.2 million bid for the 23-year-old turned down by the French Cup winners.
Toffees boss David Moyes has identified the 6ft 3in N'Daw as a future Premiership star and is watching the situation carefully before deciding about sanctioning a swoop.
Sochaux president John Claude Plessis is prepared to sell, but has told Celtic boss Gordon Strachan to substantially increase the offer.
N'Daw, 23, came through the ranks at the French outfit - a former Peugeot factory side - and played a key role in their penalty shoot-out win over Marseille in last season's French Cup final.
Moyes is believed to have been tracking him for the second half of the season and views N'Daw as a player with the ability to win the ball in the air and on the ground in a tight midfield battle.